• Someday • Chaipunk •

•Chapter 4•

(Hey! Im sorry. Just in advance-)

__________

"Finally!"

Pavitr sighed as he looked around the room, finally having decorated it to completion. He had many plants hung around the room, nicely patterned curtains a new duvet cover and a few posters and knick knacks spread around, making the room feel more homey.

Pavitr laid down on his bed, contemplating what he should do. he was bored, and was juggling between going to apologise once again to Hobie or going to see Gwen, though she was probably still with Miles.

Just when he'd decided to make himself a nice cup of chai, he remembered something. Hobie had given him his phone number in detention! He grabbed his phone and opened a new contact, putting in the number and naming the contact.

🎸Hobie🎸

He was happy with his choice of emoji, and was about to text the other man a hello, and to ask about the possibility of guitar lessons when his phone rang. He looked at the name and saw that it was his Auntie, Maya Prabhakar.

"Hello auntie!"

"Hello Pavitr, how is your new school?"

"Its great! My new roomie is nice and everything seems to be going good! How's everything at home?"

"Most things are fine around here, but, Pavitr, i have some unfortunate news" She could barely speak, her throat closing up while she tried to hold back her tears.

The sounds of her tears through the phone weren't lost on Pavitr, and he began to grow quite worried.

"Auntie? Auntie What happened? Is Uncle Bhim there? If you cant say im sure i could talk to him-"

"No, Pavitr.. your uncle.." she couldn't bring herself to speak, her voice was wrecked with sobs

Pavitr felt his eyes began to tear up as he wondered what could've possibly happened to his uncle. His uncle was one of the strongest people he'd ever known, despite developing a serious illness he was supposed to be getting better.

"Auntie.. what happened to Uncle?"

"Well.. Pavitr, do you remember your uncles illness?"

"Yes, they said he was making progress, that he'd be okay! Please tell me he's okay.."

"The progress was good, and we thought it would be okay but.." she continued to cry into the phone, her voice wavering with each sob.

Pavitr also began to cry softly, tears streaming down his face as he went silent, waiting for his Auntie to continue.

"He didn't make it, Pavitr.. your uncle.. he died this morning.." She finally said, the final sentence making her sob harder than she had previously. Pavitr could tell she was struggling to keep it together, and tried to think of what he could possibly do to comfort her.

"I.. i dont know what to say.." Pavitr began, trying to find the words to console his auntie. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay, and that she would be alright. He wanted to hug her, make her some chai and get rid of anything that could possibly hurt her.

But he couldn't do that. Because she was in Mumbattan, India. He was in New York, at college. He'd have to fly out to see her, which he knew neither of them could afford.

"Ill let you process the news for a while.. ill call you in a few days if anything happens.. please, stay safe, Pavitr. I love you, goodbye"

"I love you too, Auntie.. bye"

Pavitr hung up the phone and dropped it onto the bed. His uncle Bhim was dead. The uncle who raised him when his parents weren't around.. the uncle who had taught him everything he knew..

He huddled against a wall, his breathing becoming more erratic. He should've been there, what if he could've helped? He hadn't been there, and now his auntie was alone because of him.

Beginning to Panic, Pavitr's sense of reason basically went out of the window as the world around him seemed to darken. Everyrhing was both too loud and too quiet, he couldn't breathe. He didn't know why. Why was this happening? why wasn't he there? Why did he leave? This was his fault.

His vision began to tunnel and he curled up, hugging his knees in the corner, not knowing what to do. His heart was pounding. He was shaking. Why was he shaking. The world was wrong. Everything was wrong. He continued to sob, his body wracked with sorrow while his heart hammered against his ribcage.

He couldn't hear anything, a loud ringing deafening all sound. He couldn't talk, his throat had closed, limiting his speech to mere whispers. Despite being unable to scream, he tried. He was too deep in now to back out.

All he could think of was his uncle. His uncle wasn't there anymore. He was alone.

He was so out of it, he didnt notice the door open. He didn't notice the weight shift on the bed next to him, and he didnt notice the voice talking to him.

What he did notice was hands grabbing his own. He noticed how large those hands were, in contrast to his own. He began to notice the words. Only a few, but he could make them out above the ringing still in his ears.

"Pav.. Breathe.. Alright.. Safe.."

He didnt know what the words meant in relation to one another, but it was comforting to hear another person, to know he wasn't alone.

He began to gain his breath back, and squeezed the other persons hands tight. He then felt those hands leave his, and instead the persons arms wrap around him. He leant into the embrace, wrapping his arms around their neck while he buried his face in their neck, sobbing harder than he thought he ever had.

Nothing was okay. He knew that. But in that moment, it felt, at least a little bit, like it could be. Someday.

Word count - 985